Calls Me Home
by Volerian
Summary: A.U. Emma is an F.B.I. agent who met the love of her life in high school but situations forced her to leave before things could even begin. Will Emma find Regina again, and will she do it before its to late? Or does fate have a different plan?
1. Chapter 1

I apologize for being away for so long, i just have had no motivation to write. This story was written in the wee hours of the morning as i tried to find a way to cope with things. This story isn't about sunshine and roses, because you can't have those all the time. Its about finding the love you've always wished for, but there isn't always the happy ending you think there should be.

Huge thank you to **Discombobulated Button** who told me i needed to write, i just didn't realize it till now.

Without further stalling i give you the story.

* * *

_"So many years _  
_ Can leave behind _  
_ Regretfully until it's time _  
_ To realize the moment _  
_ When you turn around._

_ I'm coming home _  
_ To breathe again,_  
_ To start again"_

_Calls Me Home-Shannon LaBrie_

Rumbling from my 69 Chevy Chevelle fills my ears as I get ready for my first day of a week-long vacation. I flip on the radio and prepare to pull out of my driveway to drive to the bank but am stopped when I hear the song that is playing. The song streaming through my speakers was Stay Beautiful by Taylor Swift, and I couldn't help but think of the person the song reminded me of, my first high school crush. My mind drifts away as the song continues onward.

* * *

_I was walking down the hallway my books clutched firmly to my chest, my head down, just willing myself to get to my next class. It was because of that I found myself colliding with another warm body, and my books going flying. I mumble a soft apology and fix my glasses but a hand on my arm stops me short. I look up to find the most beautiful chocolate orbs trained on me. It a few beats before I can speak, so struck that I am by this girl's beauty_

"_I'm sorry I should have been paying more attention to where I was walking."_

_She smiles and her eyes glitter. "No worries, it happens to everyone." She picks up my books and hands them to me as we stand from the floor. I accept them gratefully, and once again meet the warm orbs which I find trained on me intently. "You're Emma Swan right?"_

_I look at her shocked that she even knows my name. "Yes that's right."_

_She smiles again and I feel my heart beat a little faster in my chest. "My name is Regina Mills, and hopefully I will be seeing more of you around." With that she walks off and I'm left wondering if this new school and new family would be the start of something new._

* * *

I'm jolted out of memories of the past when the song ends and the announcer's voice fills the car. I shake my head to clear the memories of Regina out of my head. It was a long time ago when I was still in the system. Although I will admit that it was by far the best school year because Regina and I had become so incredibly close to one another. She saw the good in me that no one else ever could and made me believe in myself. As my friend she showed me that there was more to the world. It was because of her that I went to college and got a master's in biology. After which I applied to become an FBI agent, a process which is long and tedious but as an FBI agent you have to be noble and trustworthy. After getting accepted to the FBI I was then shipped to Quantico for my field agent training, and then I was in Fargo, North Dakota for a few years.

Now I was currently a field agent stationed in Boston and I had finally gotten a week of vacation which I had been looking forward to. That's not to say that if there is a case or something comes up that I won't get called in because I will. As agents we are always on call but it's just a part of being an agent.

I sigh, letting myself concentrate on driving or at least trying to because now that I have the image of Regina in my head I cannot make it go away.

Instead of fighting it I let myself slip into another day dream, this one of the last time I ever saw Regina.

* * *

_The weather matched my mood, the air damp and the cold seeping into your clothes chilling you to the bone. I didn't want to be here today but it was the last day of school so I knew I should go. It was also my last day in this town as well but no one knew that. I had hardly anyone who would care if I left anyways so I kept the fact I was going to be moved to another foster family quite. Although there was one person who would care Regina, but I knew after today she would probably not want to speak to me. _

_The letter I had written her felt like a lead weight in my pocket as I walked down the halls in search of her. Finally I spotted her sitting in the quad with her yearbook on her lap. I walked over to her making sure to make noise so she would notice my approach._

_I watch as her head jerks up and I find her eyes on me. A sincere smile appears on her face as she stands and walks to me, wrapping her arms firmly around me. _

"_Emma, I was worried I wouldn't see you today," she mumbles as she hugs me. I hug her back but pull away to answer her._

"_Of course you would see me; I told you I was going to sign your yearbook."_

_I motion for the hefty book and she hands it over. I open the book trying to find a place to sign and I have to settle for one of the blank spaces on one of the middle pages. I walk over to the bench Regina had previously occupied and sit to write. I can feel her eyes on me as I do. The message is a generic have a great summer, but I don't feel I should put more. I hand the book back to her and Regina smiles softly sitting down next to me. _

_I breathe deeply not really knowing how to do this so I turn to her and just decide to spit it out._

"_I have something that I want you to read but you have to promise that you won't read it till you get home. Okay?" _

_She nods and I pull the note shakily from my pocket and hand it over. I feel like I am handing over my heart and in truth I am, because the letter is a confession of my love for her. But if it doesn't work out I will be far away from her. If she does somehow return my affection, well I don't think she will so I don't entertain the idea._

_Regina pockets the note and looks at me her eyes searching as if she can see into my soul. _

"_I'm going to miss you."_

_Regina's words floor me and I look at her flabbergasted. _

"_I will miss you too."_

_We sit there together talking for a while until we have to go. When I hug her goodbye I try to memorize the moment knowing it will be my last. As I walk away from her, I shove my hands in my pockets and drop my head, trying to hide the tears that fall down my cheeks in a steady stream._

* * *

I am brought out of the memories when I feel a single tear slide down my cheek. I wipe hastily at it not wanting to start crying over ancient history now.

I quickly find a parking space at the bank, and compose myself before grabbing my wallet, badge, and then I slipped my gun into the shoulder holster I was wearing. As an agent I had learned you never know when you might need a gun.

I walk swiftly into the bank, but when I see the lines it makes me want to turn right back around and flee. Instead I wait because I need to make sure things are taken care of before I leave.

As I am going over the mental checklist of all I need to the doors of the bank burst open. I turn quickly and see two men in black ski masks enter the bank. I see they both have guns and my heart begins to pound quickly in my chest. As soon as I hear gunfire I drop to the ground, as do the rest of the people in the bank.

I watch from my vantage point on the floor as one of the gunmen makes his way with the bank manager to the vault while the other tries to pick a hostage. I watch as he grabs a young boy with light brown hair who is probably no more than ten years old.

My heart clenches in my chest and I reach for my gun but I freeze when I see an impeccably dressed woman begging to trade places with the boy. I watch as the gunman gets tense but he relents and grabs the woman but the little boy won't let go. I grab my gun and slip it from its holster quietly as I see the gunman move to hit the boy with the butt of his gun. Rising to one knee I line up the shot and squeeze the trigger. I don't have time to watch the gunman fall to the floor a bullet in his brain, as I am on my feet my gun trained on the vault door.

The second gunman barrels out of the door his gun held firmly in his hand. I watch him raise his handgun and line up his shot, but I squeeze off my shot the sound echoing loudly, another one following after it.

Sharp agonizing pain rips through the space below my right shoulder, and I know it's near my lung. I press my had to the wound and pull it shakily away. I look at it and blanche when I see my own blood coating it.

Most people don't want to see their own blood leaking out of their own body no matter how tough they think they are and I am no exception.

I stumble backwards ending up on the floor, and that's when I realize this is worse than I thought it would be. I scan the bank the best I can and am relieved to see both of the gunmen on the ground unmoving.

I realize that it is getting harder and harder for me to breathe. I begin to panic when I feel a hand on my arm. I jerk back but I turn to find the woman from earlier by my side. Her brown eyes bore into my own and my heart lurches in my chest.

Why now? Why here?

I do my best to draw in a breath and I speak softly. "Regina…"

I watch as those brown eyes widen in shock. "How do you know my name?"

I smile and take a breath and notice the pain in my chest is worse. "Because I know you, Reggie."

The nickname makes her pause but when her eyes find my own they are misted over with tears.

"Oh god…. Emma."

I squeeze her hand which has somehow found its way to her own. I try to take a breath but the pain is building, and I feel blood still leaking from the wound. I press the hand I have over it tighter hoping to stem the flow of blood.

"Where have you been? I looked everywhere for you but I couldn't find you."

"Why would you want to find me?"

"Because I was in love with you too."

My heart about stops at hearing her say that. "Wait you love me?"

"Of course you silly." Her eyes move from my own to the wound and back. "I just hope I'm not too late."

"You would never be too late Regina. Just seeing you again is all I wanted. I've missed you." I try to swallow past the lump in my throat but it is difficult.

I hear commotion in the background but I focus on the woman in front of me. "Can I ask you for something?"

"Anything."

"If I'm going to die here would you kiss me just once?"

The tears that have threatened to fall from her eyes spill over. "You aren't going to die here Emma, you will live. I just found you, I can't lose you again."

"I will try to stay Regina but I don't know if I can."

I go to say more but am silenced when her lips meet my own. It is soft and sweet, full of longing and love. I kiss her as long as I can but my chest aches so I have to stop. When she pulls back I smile up at her.

"I love you Regina."

Right as Regina is about to reply I am swarmed by medics, who hurriedly get me on a stretcher and to the waiting ambulance. As I am being rushed to the hospital, my vision starts to grey around the edges, and the voices of the medics fade slowly away and I slip off into the blackness.

* * *

Okay please tell me what you thought and don't kill me for the cliffhanger. There will be one more chapter. Reviews are like hugs to me and well i could really use a hug right about now.


	2. Chapter 2

So I just wanted to thank everyone who has favorited, followed, and reviewed this story. I have decided to make it a longer story and to write more about Emma's past and more in the present as well. I hope you all like this new chapter.

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My eyes fluttered open to only snap shut once more after being burned by blinding light. Tentatively I open my eyes once more slowly letting them adjust. When I finally regain my vision, I take stock of my surroundings.

I find I am currently lying in what appears to be a hospital bed clothed in white, in an utterly white room. The sound of someone clearing their throat has me looking in the direction of it. I blanche when I see the person lounging in the corner of my room, because it's not just any person. Oh no, this person is my old FBI partner, Graham, who just so happens to be dead. The word dead rattles around in my head until it all clicks and I realize that I must be dead too.

I am out of the bed and scrambling away from him until my back thuds harshly against the wall stopping me cold. Graham watches me from a few feet away, and finally he speaks, shattering the eerie silence of the room.

"Emma is that any way to greet an old friend?"

"I don't know what to think or do here Graham, I mean hello, I'm dead! You're dead! "

His warm eyes meet my own and the next words out of his mouth have me freezing cold.

"Yes Emma we are both dead, but whereas I am supposed to be dead you are not. You should have lived many more years, fallen in love, gotten married, and grown old yet here you are."

I feel the tears begin to fall as his words reverberate in my head. I clench my hands into tight fists at my sides fighting the rise of crushing anguish and rage. My words come out so broken.

"Then if all of that is true why am I here? Why am I dead?"

He smiles sympathetically, "Simply because you were in the wrong place, and because you are the hero you always were."

I can't help but scoff through the tears still falling down my face, "You really thought that I would just stand by and let a kid get hurt, not to mention Regina."

Graham nods his head, "Ah yes Regina, the woman who you fell in love with years ago and have never been able to get over."

The mere thought of the raven haired beauty has my throat tightening.

"She told me she loved me Graham, and she kissed me. She kissed me." Overwhelming sobs wrack my body and I slide down the wall curling in on myself.

Slowly the sobs abate and I look up at Graham who now stands by my side. "What am I supposed to do now?"

This time Graham smiles, a full-fledged teeth flashing smile. "That is entirely up to you Emma. You can choose to accept that you are dead or you can be sent back to your life." At that I immediately go to speak but he raises a hand and continues speaking.

"If you choose to return to your life I cannot guarantee an easy road. There will be hardships and trials that you will face whereas if you stay you will finally be at peace. Ultimately the choice is yours to make."

The very moment he stops speaking my answer leaves my lips.

"I choose my life because a chance at happiness with Regina is better than having never known. I know what I am asking for but you know me Graham and you know my live. So if this is my shot at happiness I'm going to take it."

Graham looks at me his eyes warm and shinning with happiness.

"Well then Emma I figure that this is goodbye for now."

He reaches out and touches my arm and from that touch shooting pain sears through my entire being. I lose my grip on consciousness and fall into the black.

It seems as if I am struggling through molasses trying to regain consciousness. From far away I hear someone calling to me and by some miracle I find the will to open my eyes.

This time however my eyes are not seared by blinding light, instead the room is lit only with a soft muted glow. I blink a couple of times to clear my vision when I hear my name being called and my hand being squeezed.

I glance over to find Regina sitting by my bedside her eyes shining with unshed tears. I squeeze her hand and manage to croak out, "I love you too."

At those words Regina's fine rein on her control breaks and the tears begin to fall. Struggling against the pain in my shoulder I sit up gripping her hand firmly in my own. She looks up meeting my eyes and in a moment she is out of her seat and wrapping her arms around me, burying her head in the crook of my neck.

Her lips are warm against my skin and I can't help but shiver when she speaks. "I thought I had lost you."

I run my hands softly along her back as I answer, trying to capture this moment, and every detail. "You won't lose me, my choice will always be you. I loved you all those years ago and I never stopped loving you."

I can feel her smile against my neck and then she places a kiss reverently against my pulse point. I try to bite back the moan it causes and tighten my arms around her.

"Regina as much as I want to continue this I think we need to talk and I don't want our firs time to be in a hospital bed."

She pulls back from me, chocolate eyes meeting green. "You are right we do need to talk and I'd rather our first time together to be in the comfort of my bed."

I can't help but blush at that but she saves me from my thoughts.

"Before we go any further I would like to introduce you to someone."

Startled I look at her. She smiles and directs my attention to a chair in the far corner of the room, where a child is currently resting. Upon further inspection I realize that it is the boy from the bank and I turn back to meet Regina's gaze.

"He's yours?"

She nods, "Yes Henry is mine, I adopted him when he was a baby."

My shoulders sag in relief, and I smile softly at Regina. "He's a very handsome young boy."

"He is, and I owe you my gratitude for keeping him safe, for keeping us safe in that bank."

Her eyes tear up once more and she drops her head to rest once more on my shoulder, and I try my best to comfort her.

"Regina it's alright, I'm here, you are alright, Henry is fine, and nothing is going to happen. I promise you."

"I know Emma, but I can't help worry. You mean the world to me."

"And you mean the world to me as well."

She snuggles into me and lays her head on my chest, being careful of my wound. I run my hand through her raven locks and the two of us don't say anything more, because we don't have to. We are both content in this moment and words can wait for another day.

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If you could drop me a review and let me know what you think it would make my day! :D


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